How is the job market? (Atlanta: student loans, transfer, law school)

[talon4life]

I want to relocate from upstate NY to Atlanta in the Spring and was wondering if there are many job opportunities for people with say a bachelor's degree? My wife has one in Political Science and I have one in English Literature. Where we currently live there are no opportunities, everything is manufacturing, and we really want to escape the snow.

[K'ledgeBldr]

It depends on what your looking for!
Some sectors SUCK- others are in desparate need of bodies.
But don't think the pay will be the same- you'll be adjusting.

[talon4life]

Pay can't be any worse. Here the highest paying jobs make about 22000 a year, unless you work for the state or the federal government. And gas is 3.40 a gal. Not to mention the place sucks population of 20000! If I didn't have all my family here I would have been gone years ago.

[BobKovacs]

Well, while a bachelor's degree puts you somewhat ahead of someone without a degree, your degrees aren't in fields that will have direct application in many companies- therefore, you're not going to get stellar positions. What type of work are you looking for specifically? Do you have any interests you'd like to pursue in a career?

[plessthanpointohfive]

I'm pretty sure you could get teaching jobs with bachelor degrees. Usually they have some sort of thing where they make you promise to get certified to teach within so many years. I think teachers make about double what you are talking about. So, if you get a job in Fulton or Dekalb Counties you can both make about 45K a year. 90K combined ain't bad.

I'd suggest that both of you get graduate degrees. A very lucrative one is an MPH (Masters of Public Health) or MHA (Masters of Health Administration). You can have any background going in and can usually find decent paying jobs once you're out. I don't have an MPH, just a regular MS in statistics, but many people I work with have MPHs.

[jessiesma]

here's how it works for folks with degrees. Most states have alternative certification programs. You have to do a bit more than promise to get certified You will get hired by a school district in a critical needs area like Eng. sorry this won't work for Poli sci. You then go to GSU and take just your ed. courses and then you need three state exams; subject area, general knowledge and professional standards. This is for high or middle school. To teach elem. you need more course work.
I think in GA, we're in FL but moving to GA, you have two years to complete all these reqs. You could also get an MEd. in English teaching. It will take you a couple of years but you'd also be able to teach on a college level. Your poli sci wife could do Ed. as an career changer but I don't know the program there in GA. It wouldn't involve her having a degree in poli sci but here degree would qualify her if she did all the course work, say for elementary ed. Check with the state Dept. of Ed and GSU's College of Ed. GSU is in downtown Atlanta.
I don't recommend any sort of business degree for an English lit major. Your soul will feel as if you're trying to kill it. One exception might be law or paralegal. You could work in intellectual property law which is pretty interesting to us artistic types. Paralegals with BA's get big bucks in the prestige firms. In fact you can't get in without a degree. This might be a good option for your wife too. I realize she might like business or some sort of administrative position but she will still need to go on with her ed. if she plans to make a paying career. There was a law school in MA that published a list of 600 things you can do with a law degree other than practice law. They had to do that. They weren't ABA certified
I know you have to have income in the meantime. Consider student loans and mcjobs, while you escape the snow and move into the future. Oh, along that line, you CAN substitute teach right now with what you have and in some districts you'll have work every day there's school. Pay's not bad but you would need to do the student loans if you want to go for grad degrees. GSU isn't too bad for out of state students.
How do I know all this? My older,55, husband did the alternative program in FL and then didn't get hired. He's been looking to see if his credentials will transfer and it's looking good. all he needs is the JOB. this is the time of year to look so write letter of inquiry to the school boards if this sounds like something you'd like to do.

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

I'm pretty sure you could get teaching jobs with bachelor degrees. Usually they have some sort of thing where they make you promise to get certified to teach within so many years. I think teachers make about double what you are talking about. So, if you get a job in Fulton or Dekalb Counties you can both make about 45K a year. 90K combined ain't bad.

I'd suggest that both of you get graduate degrees. A very lucrative one is an MPH (Masters of Public Health) or MHA (Masters of Health Administration). You can have any background going in and can usually find decent paying jobs once you're out. I don't have an MPH, just a regular MS in statistics, but many people I work with have MPHs.

[plessthanpointohfive]

Good info!

The only thing I knew about was that back in Louisiana, when I left, they were so desperate for teachers that they'd take just about anyone with a Bachelor's degree, throw them a signing bonus, and then get them up to speed for teaching qualifications.

But it's different from state to state, I know.

[gt6974a]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

So, if you get a job in Fulton or Dekalb Counties you can both make about 45K a year. 90K combined ain't bad.

...not to say you're wrong...but Cobb is supposed to be on level with other counties and teachers start out around 32K

[plessthanpointohfive]

I could be wrong...I am getting this info second hand. But I did think that Fulton and Dekalb pay the highest... I freely admit I don't know really what I am talking about. I should have stated that up front...I am guesstimating from conversation I've had.

Anyone who knows what they're talking about want to chime in???

[KevK]

Job market here is red hot. Come on down!